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Nedra in So. CA
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melanie
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Yep. 
I couldn't handle the "do it yourself" planning either. And I only had one child when we started homeschooling!! I did my own planning for two years and almost lost my mind. It just didn't suit me. Don't get me wrong, I love the rabbit trails and unit studies and all of that too, but it just didn't work out to do that full time. Here's what I recommend. Find a curriculum that fits you the best and tweak the heck out of it. 
This is our fourth year using Mother of Divine Grace and we *love* it. Someone posted recently about how it didn't fit them, so I'm saying everyone should run and sign up with MODG, but that's what worked for us. The curriculum in the early grades is very bare bones, very easy on mom, and it has been a great fit because when *I* am feeling more ambitious there is plenty of room in our days to fit in unit studies and rabbit trails...and when I'm *not* feeling up to it I know I can just open the syllabus and the basics will at least be covered.
Now of course, it does get more time consuming in the later grades, but my oldest is in 6th grade and does most of her work independently. I spend maybe an hour a day working with her.
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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folklaur
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Oh, I just wrote a response and then lost it! Frustrating!
Trying again!
Yes, it took me quite a while to accept the fact the I am not good at pulling together our curriculum from scratch, and that that does not make me a failure!
When I try to do it myself - I end up with a pile of really great books....but not a curriculum.
I need lesson plans. And that's okay 
I have found programs that work for us (Sonlight, WinterPromise) that I can then tweak and incorproate ideas into.
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CandaceC
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Nedra - fancy seeing you here!
Feel the FREEDOM to do what is best for your family! (I wouldn't dare post that on the board you are talking about! LOL LOL!!)
Love ya girl!!
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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Maddie
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Yes! You have to do what works for YOUR family. Seton works for us, I need the hand holding. We all have different gifts, strengths, crosses to bear, education, etc and you just do what works for you. The important thing is you are raising your children in our Holy Faith and raising saints for Heaven. What you use to get you there is between you, God, and your husband.
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~Maddie~
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Bethany
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Oh, I am SO in the same place right now. I just come home with a pile of books from the library but can't seem to make any thing else happen. I'm thinking of enrolling with Kolbe in the fall. I think this would allow me more freedom for the fun stuff. I would know we were covering the basics and I wouldn't have to pull it together every day.
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Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
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melanie
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I meant to say I'm *not* saying everyone should run out and sign up with MODG.
Sorry! I was typing one handed...
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Bookswithtea
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CandaceC wrote:
Feel the FREEDOM to do what is best for your family! (I wouldn't dare post that on the board you are talking about! LOL LOL!!)
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This is what I was thinking too...
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Nedra in So. CA
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Nedra in So. CA
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Birdie
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Yes, me too ! I went from using a literature type unit study where the topics you study are based on what comes up in the literature book to using a unit study that used lots of literature but also had a themed unit with it to a living textbook approach and back to a unit study approach, a different publisher this time. Finally, the last one we tried was a fit. I can relate. I think you should trust yourself and switch to what you think will be a good fit. 
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Mackfam
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Nedra - This is the beauty of homeschooling...do what works for you and your family and have peace! Think about your comfort zone...where does that intersect with your children's needs and abilities? Camp out right there and tweak it as you go!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
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stellamaris
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I see you have three-year old twins. We were blessed with twins,too! When they were toddlers, we had major challenges with any curriculum that required more than about 32 seconds of prep time for mom. There just isn't any time for a few years. I agree with everyone...do what works for your family and you, too, right now. You can always go back to the unit studies in a few years. My twins are almost eight, and I have lots more time to do plannning now Don't expect the impossible from yourself.
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anitamarie
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Oh Yeah. We junked Story of the World Vol. 2 because it took too much time. We switched to using the American History Lesson plans over at Serendipity. MUCH better. Much less time consuming and fun, too. Everyone else has said it, find what works for you and enjoy it!
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Nedra in So. CA
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Nedra in So. CA
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CandaceC
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Nedra, you know I'm the same way. Someday I will be heartbroken not to use our beloved FIAR anymore. BUT, I applaud you for doing what your CHILD needs. Sometimes it is hard, b/c our teaching style may be a bit different than our kiddos. I haven't exactly run into this issue with FIAR, but in other areas. Mine are still pretty young.
I think the Apologia books are GREAT. And from looking at WP, that would be my next choice of curriculum if I had to go that route!! It looks great! (and even tempting for someone who is already having success in another curriculum!)
I know it is hard, but I really feel you are doing the right thing. 
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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Birdie
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I don't know if this will help but I'm going to offer up my thoughts anyway. There is a difference in my mind between unit studies and book studies. A unit study is based on a theme like famous athletes, frontier life or birds. A book study uses one book and points out possible unit study themes to explore in that book. Maybe your dd is not tired of unit studies at all, but instead tired of book studies.
I don't think it's a bad thing to want to read say Sarah Plain and Tall and just read it and then talk about the hardships of frontier life. It's not rushing through the book. You don't have to study sea life with Sarah Plain and Tall or letter writing skills. You know what I mean?
I don't think you have to give up unit studies, I think you might explore unit studies with themes instead of book studies.
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Nedra in So. CA
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Bookswithtea
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Nedra in So. CA wrote:
Books, now you and I both know you have more to say than this. |
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Nedra in So. CA wrote:
WOW have I been hit smack in the head this a.m. I purchased Steve Lambert's tape series and listened to it and realized I have a foot in each door; desiring to do unit studies but still feeling the need to fill those "requirements" that are self-imposed since where we live we are free to design our homeschool and set our own requirements. What a light bulb moment! I am suffering from gapitis; worrying I won't cover everything (which is just impossible) and thinking that I need to add curriculums to what has been a beautiful, natural, identity directed learning process up until now. All of a sudden I feel like I need to fix what just. isn't. broken. We don't have to jump the "requirement" hoop.
Whew. Freedom!
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Fwiw, I don't think SL or WP are the best idea, based on what you've shared. Why not just continue with the stuff you listed that she loves and call it good? What gap is really missing, when you consider the field trips, Animal Planet, and life?
ETA: One of the problems with SL's booklists is that they are missing a lot of great literature in differing genres. There is nothing wrong with giving her a book every 2-3 weeks (or whatever pace is best for her), maybe a Lamplighter one time, then a historical fiction novel, then a talking animals type book, or non fiction, or whatever you think might appeal to her. Every genre has classics.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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